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Welcome To Sierra Leone
Country number
112
Selected MR Agencies

An Introduction to Sierra Leone

The Republic of Sierra Leone gained its independence in 1961 from the British, whose colony the area had been since 1808. It was devastated by a civil war which lasted from 1991 to 2002, leaving 75,000 people dead, and two million displaced. See full country profile.

Latest Research News from Africa

Nov 29
US-based digital ad tech company PubMatic has promoted Harpreet Kallah to Associate Marketing Director, UK & MENA. Nov 29 2024
Sep 30
Accra, Ghana-based agency True North Media Monitoring has recently announced the acquisition of Maverick Media Monitoring, also based in the Ghanaian capital, and has appointed Maverick's Akinwale Adams to lead the combined company and oversee the integration. Sep 30 2024


2 current African jobs:

Research Manager, South Africa based - remote role, Salary on application - (posted Nov 20 2024)
Senior Research and Insights Manager, English and Exams, UK Flexible - Manchester, London, Cardiff, Edinburgh or Belfast - or in Czech Republic, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Tunisia or Morocco, Pay Band - 8 c.GBP 38,820 - plus London weighing 3.3k - (posted Jun 6 2024)
Know of an MR agency based in Sierra Leone? We don't - please get in touch


Fast Facts
Map of Sierra Leone
CAPITAL: Freetown
GOVERNMENT: constitutional democracy
AREA: 71,740 sq km
POPULATION: 5,363,669 (July 2011 est.)
MAJOR LANGUAGE: Official Language: English
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone


'70s Rock The Star of Sierra Leone was discovered in 1972. It is the largest alluvial diamond ever found, and weighed in at a whopping 969.8 carats. 17 stones (the largest of which was 143.20 carats) were cut from the diamond, 13 of which were flawless. Amazingly, this giant was purchased for under $2.5m - but that was in 1972.

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Sierra Leone in Profile

The Republic of Sierra Leone gained its independence in 1961 from the British, whose colony the area had been since 1808. It was devastated by a civil war which lasted from 1991 to 2002, leaving 75,000 people dead, and two million displaced.

British forces restored the civilian government in 2002, since when it has established a functioning democracy with 'free and fair' presidential elections. The country has substantial reserves of minerals and potential for oil money, if the new government can prioritise development, job creation and the stamping out of endemic corruption.

Some Business and General Info

GDP: $4.72 billion (2010 est.) - $900 per capita (2010 est.)

Religions Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%

Currency: Leone (SLL) $1 = SLL 6,943

Telephone Code: +232

Research Industry

Sierra Leone has no MR industry.

Overview of Trade and Industry

Sierra Leone has a wealth of mineral and agricultural resources but is still suffering from the effects of the civil war and remains a poor country with tremendous inequality. Diamonds make up almost half of exports and are the main source of hard currency earnings. Long-term peace and continuing overseas aid are both said to be crucial to economic progress. Political stability has at least meant a revival of bauxite and rutile mining, while offshore oil discoveries were announced in 2009 and 2010.

The main exports are diamonds, rutile, coffee and fish, mostly going to Belgium, Romania, the Netherlands, Ivory Coast and the UK. Imports - mostly of food, machinery, fuel and chemicals - come from countries including South Africa, China, Malaysia, the US, the UK, Ivory Coast and India. 2010 totals are c.$360m and c.$605m respectively.

My view
from...
Sierra Leone
Researchers Talk!
Have your say!
If you are a researcher based in Sierra Leone, in whatever capacity, then we would love to hear from you!

Email me:
laurence@mrweb.com

Views from...

If you've braved Sierra Leone for research purposes, we'd love to hear from you.